Flybe quit Manston

Flybe has said it will not be flying from Manston International Airport in Kent after March. The airline said it would cease operations there at the end of the winter season. Flybe launched its Manston to Edinburgh service in May 2010. Flybe spokesman Niall Duffy said:

"We tried different routes and the numbers simply weren't there. It's impossible to sustain routes without the passengers.

Unfortunately for the Manston services it was just impossible to look at those passenger numbers and think that we could sustain the kind of difficulties we were facing.

It is fair to say that Manston is one of the airports with the smaller catchment areas in the United Kingdom, and you have Gatwick not too far away."

The airline said passengers booked on flights after March would be contacted by Flybe and offered a full refund or tickets on alternative flights.

BBC online 22nd Dec 2011

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Flybe is axing its services between Kent International Airport and Edinburgh. The shock move, which takes effect from the end of the winter season on March 25, has been blamed on the tough economic climate. The Edinburgh service was regarded as Manston's jewel in the crown.

The decision is a blow to Manston's reputation which also suffered when Flybe axed its Manchester service because of weak passenger demand. Senior Kent figures have been promoting expansion at Manston rather than back controversial proposals for a hub airport on or off the Kent coast.

kentonline 22nd Dec 2011

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Flybe will end its flights at Manston airport on March 25 and passengers who have already booked a flight on the summer schedule will either be fully refunded or booked onto a flight departing from another airport, the IoT Gazette reports. In a statement, Simon Lilley, Flybe's director of marketing said:

"It is with regret that Flybe can confirm it will cease its operations from Manston International Airport with effect from the end of the winter season on March 25, 2012. Flybe carefully reviews the viability of all our 200-plus routes on a regular basis looking not only at passenger numbers but also at external cost pressures. This is done not only to monitor where we can offer increased regularity on a given route but also where passenger numbers make a flight uneconomic.

Our ongoing commitment to Manston has been reliant on the success of the Edinburgh service that we launched in May 2010.  Despite extensive marketing of this route both in Scotland and throughout SE England, the challenging economic environment with which we are all faced has meant passenger numbers remain at unsustainable levels, and are insufficient to financially justify its continued operation.

All passengers who have booked flights online for next summer will be contacted by Flybe and offered a full refund or re-accommodated on alternate flights; and in the interim we look forward to welcoming on board those passengers who continue to book and use our Edinburgh service from now through to the end of March."

The decision comes after Flybe axed flights from Manston to Manchester due to lack of passenger demand.

Airport bosses have urged Thanet council to support Manston's plans for night flights, on the grounds that it needs greater flexibility to compete with other airports. Charles Buchanan, Chief Executive of Manston Airport, said:

"While obviously disappointed, we understand that the decision has been taken as part of Flybe's ongoing review of its 200 routes. Launched in May 2010, the service initially performed well. However, like many other internal UK routes it suffered from the economic downturn. Inbound and outbound passenger numbers, although initially good have unfortunately tailed off as household budgets and discretionary spend has tightened.

The decision by Flybe reinforces the need for the airport's proposals for limited and managed scheduled night-time flights to be agreed with Thanet District Council in order to compete with other national and regional airports. Without the ability to compete it will be very difficult to secure a commitment from other airlines to base aircraft at Manston and deliver a truly sustainable regional airport which will underpin the future health of the East Kent economy."

Commenting on the decision, Sandra Matthews-Marsh, Chief Executive at Visit Kent, said:

"This is disappointing news for East Kent in a very challenging economic climate for the travel and tourism industry."

Flybe also runs a service between Manston and Belfast – which will also end, said a company spokesman.

thisiskent 22nd Dec 2011

Outlook gets gloomier for Infratil

BAA airport sale squeezes Prestwick

Have you ever had one of those weeks when things just seem to go from bad to worse? If so, you'll be able to empathise with Infratil.

In response to the general downturn and gloom, the bucket shops are reducing capacity and cutting routes. Flybe, the mainstay of Manston's struggling passenger business, is on the ropes and cutting routes that are busier than the infrequent services out of Manston - which doesn't bode well.

And now, to cap it all, BAA (easily the largest airport operator in the country) is moving the goal posts and increasing the competitive pressure on Prestwick, Infratil's busiest airport outside New Zealand.

Back in 2009, the Competition Commission decided that it was against the public interest for BAA to own so many airports across the UK, and ordered it to sell some. Stansted was flagged as one to sell, and BAA were told to choose which of their Scottish airports (Glasgow or Edinburgh) to put a price sticker on next.

BAA kicked up a stink and spent over 2 years arguing the toss through the courts. The Competition Commission have now surprised most people (not least BAA) by apparently accepting that there's plenty more arguing to be done over Stansted, and telling BAA that, in the meantime, they will have to reverse the original sequence of the sell-off and sell one of the Scottish airports before they sell Stansted.

So what? Well, BAA are being pushed to decide quickly, and have said that the decision will be made "shortly". In fact, it's quite likely that the decision has been made already. In the full year of 2010, Edinburgh carried 8.59 million passengers, Glasgow 6.52 million. Edinburgh carried 20,357 tonnes of freight, Glasgow 2,914 tonnes. Mail is another money-spinner: Edinburgh carried 23,726 tonnes of mail, Glasgow carried 19 tonnes.

In BAA's shoes, which airport would you sell? Yup, it's goodbye to Glasgow. There have been rumours that Infratil could be among the bidders, but with numerous airport owners and other investors lining up to make bids, several sources say that the Competition Commission is likely to opt for a new competitor. According to Louise Congdon, managing partner at leading consultancy York Aviation:

"A new owner can only mean increased competition for Prestwick. For whatever reason, BAA has chosen to promote growth at Edinburgh more than Glasgow. A new owner with only one airport in the central belt would behave differently."

So a lean and hungry operator, let's call them ThinAir for the sake of argument, swoop in to snatch Scotland's second biggest airport from BAA's grasp. In contrast to BAA, who were happy to under-invest in Glasgow and lazily capitalise on Edinburgh's pre-eminence, ThinAir will promote and develop Glasgow aggressively. They will almost certainly start with the ambition to replace Edinburgh as Scotland's Number One Airport.

ThinAir's backers and bankers will be braced for a profitless year (or several), as ThinAir streamline operations, strike hard bargains, offer tempting deals, and work flat-out to make themselves the most attractive option for national and international carriers.

Meanwhile, Prestwick are facing 25% year on year falls in passenger numbers, and their staffing has already been cut to the bone. With a voracious new competitor just down the road (and a lot closer to Glasgow) Prestwick will see its passengers and its future disappear into, well, ThinAir.

Infratil is large-scale, professional and successful, and doubtless has a rolling programme of strategic reviews across its market sectors. Infratil promises its investors a 20% return on investment, and finds it increasingly hard to present its foray into European airports as anything other than a blunder.

The persistent and worsening European economic malaise, and the unfavourable shifts in the competitive landscape in UK aviation are large enough and long-term enough to trigger a cut-and-run firesale of Prestwick and Manston. Infratil would crystallise its losses and return to New Zealand to lick its wounds and concentrate on its core businesses in familiar markets.

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BAA Airports Ltd., the owner of London’s Heathrow Airport, will disclose “shortly” whether it plans to sell Edinburgh or Glasgow airport.

BAA, which is owned by a group of investors including Spain’s Ferrovial SA, won the agreement of the Competition Commission to bring forward the sale of one of its three Scottish airports while it challenges a ruling to sell Stansted, northeast of London, the company said in a statement today. Chief Executive Officer Colin Matthews said:

“Both Edinburgh and Glasgow are great airports with great futures. We will be sorry to see one of them leave BAA.”

The airport operator is seeking a judicial review of the regulator’s 2009 decision to force the sale of Stansted, one of London’s three airports. The regulator reaffirmed in July that it should sell Stansted to boost competition among airport operators. It’s already sold London Gatwick.

The commission said in 2009 and again in July that BAA had to sell Stansted before disposing of either Edinburgh or Glasgow airport. BAA is being allowed to keep Aberdeen airport, in north east Scotland.

Edinburgh, the busiest of Scotland’s airports, handles 9 million passengers a year, according to its website. Glasgow had 6.5 million passengers in 2010.

Bloomberg BusinessWeek 7th Oct 2011

Job losses at Manston Airport

Four jobs are to go at Manston Airport in a cost-cutting programme amid speculation that a new service to New York is poised for take-off. The airport, owned by New Zealand company Infratil, has been losing money on its operations and needed to cut costs to give it a more secure future.

Airport chiefs recently examined working patterns to see where cost savings could be made. This process and staff consultation has identified savings of more than £350,000 and the loss of four roles. Charles Buchanan, airport chief executive, said:

"As the airport strives to attract new business, it is important that the cost base is kept as low as possible and we reduce the airport's current operating losses. Increasing the attractiveness of the airport to potential new customers, both through low airport charges and flexible operating conditions, will be key to ensuring the business becomes a commercial success. As a result of the consultation the airport is now on a more sustainable footing for the future as we seek to grow the business."

The airport has attracted Flybe scheduled services to Edinburgh and Belfast but lost the Manchester service in April because of poor passenger numbers. Several holiday charter operations use the airport which earns substantial revenue from its freight operations.

Mr Buchanan has spoken to a number of airlines to try and attract more scheduled passenger services. A spokesman confirmed that talks have been held with representatives of a new airline that is considering introducing direct flights to New York.

kentonline 26th Jul 2011

Belfast route opens

New flights have started between Manston and Belfast's George Best airport. The first of the Flybe services arrived in Thanet at lunchtime on Thursday. Flights will run between Manston and Belfast three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. The route takes 90 minutes and will initially run for the summer, with plans to extend it if the service proves popular.

At the launch, which coincided with the first anniversary of flights between Manston and Edinburgh, airport chief executive Charles Buchanan said:

"The Belfast service underscores Manston's key importance as the gateway to the glorious south east. Passengers using the airport immediately realise how different it is to others, thanks to the ease of getting to and from Manston and the fact that you can board your aircraft just metres from where you park your car. It's air travel as it should be – convenient, comfortable and relaxed."

Mr Buchanan added that 25,000 passengers had used Manston's Edinburgh service in its first year, hailing it as a success. Flybe and Manston airport hope that 50,000 people will use the services to Edinburgh and Belfast in the next year. Flybe flights between Manchester and Manston were dropped this year after disappointing sales.

Mr Buchanan also took the opportunity to underline the economic benefits of the airport. The airport is on the brink of reapplying to Thanet council for changes to the current ban on flights at night. Mr Buchanan said:

"It is important to us as an airport to build up the right services for the community and the economy. Particularly in these times, when jobs are difficult to come by, the airport can have a positive economic impact on the area. We are going to see if we can grow the airport to our master plan in the next three to four years, which would bring £340 million a year to the local economy. We think that this is a prize worth having."

Thanet Times 3rd Jun 2011

Manchester "unsustainable". Belfast "attractive"?

Flybe scraps Manchester service from Manston and launches Belfast flights

Regional airline Flybe is grounding its service between Manston and Manchester and replacing it with a new summer operation to Belfast.

The service to Northern Ireland will operate three times a week and begin on May 26. Flybe said its services between Kent International and Edinburgh were popular and would continue. However, it was suspending its Manchester service from April 4 because passenger numbers had made the flight "economically and environmentally hard to justify."

Despite this setback, the airline insisted it remained committed to developing its route network from Manston. Airport chief executive officer Charles Buchanan said:

"We are pleased that Flybe have reinforced their commitment to Manston with the announcement of a Belfast City service. Initially this will be three times a week, but will hopefully increase as demand grows and aircraft become available. Sadly, despite the best efforts of both the Manston Airport team and Flybe, the Manchester route has not proved sustainable; however we are confident that Belfast will attract more passengers."

Mike Rutter, Flybe's chief commercial officer said:

"We're delighted to be adding this new service between Belfast and Manston, providing passengers with a quick and direct route between South East England and Northern Ireland. Whilst the service to Manchester has unfortunately proved unsustainable, we've been delighted with the support shown by travellers to and from the region on the Manston-Edinburgh route and remain committed to developing our route network from Manston."

The Belfast service will operate on Tuesdays and Thursdays (departing from Manston at 13.45) and Sundays (12.50). Flights will depart from Belfast at 11.40 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 10.45 on Sundays. One-way fares start at £29.99. The flight time will be 1h 40m.

by business editor Trevor Sturgess
kentonline  15th Mar 2011

From Manston to Manchester in 70 minutes

Scheduled daily flights to Manchester took off from Manston for the first time on Monday as the airport continues to expand its services. The new schedule offers connecting flights to Glasgow, Belfast, Orkney and Inverness and complements the existing flights to Edinburgh. Both services are with low-cost airline Flybe.

Manston chief executive officer Charles Buchanan said:

“They are award-winning, stylish destinations that are perfect for short breaks from the south east. These routes underline Manston’s value as an excellent regional airport for the south east. And we’re so easy to use. Where else can you park within sight of the check-in desks?”

He predicts demand growing for Manchester from both the business and leisure markets, now that you can get there quickly six days a week. 

“It takes over four hours to drive to Manchester, and if you take the train, you’ve got to go via London which can take in excess of 5 hours, so it’s a no-brainer. And it’s not just a time-saving benefit. Manston is a real hassle-free experience. We’re easy to get to, there’s no M25 to negotiate and you can board the aircraft metres from where you park your car.” 

Meanwhile, Newmarket Holidays will add two new holiday destinations in 2011 flying from Manston to Spain and Croatia. There will also be package tours to Lake Garda, Venice, Spain and Portugal. Mr Buchanan said:

“Flying to the sun are the routes that we are most frequently asked for from Manston. I am delighted that Newmarket has recognised this and is offering new services to Spain and Croatia. “

Thanet Extra 7th Sep 2010

Buchanan hails return of scheduled flights

A new airport chief has hailed the return of scheduled services as a major milestone for Manston. Charles Buchanan, who has completed his first month as the new chief executive at Kent International Airport, joined the Manston operation, run by New Zealand company Infratil, shortly after the launch of Flybe scheduled services to Edinburgh. A new service to Manchester is due to start in September. Flybe is the first scheduled operator to use KIA since the demise of EUjet several years ago.

Mr Buchanan has taken over from Matt Clarke who has returned to his native New Zealand. He was previously strategy and communications director at London City Airport, and has also held posts with Channel Tunnel operator Eurotunnel. Mr Buchanan said:

"The restarting of daily passenger services to Edinburgh in May was a major milestone for Manston. The commitment that Flybe have shown by announcing daily departures to Manchester too is an endorsement of the work of the team and the potential the airport has to offer. Having a successful regional airport is a major element in the regeneration of an area, not only by providing direct employment, but also giving access to the markets of the world."

Infratil is aiming to invest £3m in a new radar system at Manston which is designed to ensure the airport is able to operate successfully as wind farms are developed offshore the Thanet coast, including the giant London Array.

kentonline 28th Jul 2010

Manston-Edinburgh flights start

Airline Flybe is to launch a service to Manchester from Manston from the autumn. The announcement comes on the day Kent International Airport launches its Edinburgh service. The Manchester schedule is to start from September 6.

Meanwhile, scheduled flights returned to Kent International Airport when Flybe's Manston-Edinburgh service took off for the first time last Thursday (20th May 2010).

The daily service to the Scottish capital launched five years after the high profile collapse of EUjet. It has been described as "a huge vote of confidence" in Thanet by tourism bosses at Visit Kent and has already created 20 new jobs at the airport.

Demand for the new route has been strong, despite the recent disruption to air travel caused by ash from the volcanic eruption in Iceland. A Scottish piper welcomed passengers boarding the first flight to Edinburgh.

The Manston route marks the second time Flybe has trialled flights from Kent, having flown passengers to Jersey last summer. The low cost airline says tickets for the new service, which went on sale in February, start at £24.99 one way, including taxes and charges.

Thanet Extra 27th May 2010

Jobs created at Manston for Flybe flights

The new Flybe daily passenger service from Manston to Edinburgh has helped to create 20 new jobs at Kent International Airport. Airport owners Infratil say all the new recruits all live locally. Their task will be to ensure the passengers of Flybe, Newmarket Holidays and CI Travel which operates charter flights and holidays to Jersey, "have the best possible experience when passing through the airport", says the company.

The new members of staff will be responsible for check-in and customer service, as well as sales and marketing, operating the shop and the security of the airport. Manston now employs 112 staff to manage the airport's passenger and freight operations, including the new recruits who have just completed their training.

Demand has been so strong for the new Flybe service, launched at the end of May, that flights have been extended into the winter period. Tickets are on sale now, with passengers booking daily flights to and from Edinburgh for travel up until March 26, 2011. Tom Wilson, chief executive of Infratil Airports Europe, said:

"With the new passenger services we are now able to deliver on our promise to increase the number of people employed at the airport and play an even bigger role in supporting the local economy. As well as the 112 employees, the airport also does business with more than 100 companies across Kent."

Marta Easton, Manston's senior customer services supervisor, added:

"The team is now very excited about the return of daily flights to the airport. By working closely with Flybe and charter airlines we are very confident that our passengers will receive great customer service on a par, if not better than, any other regional airport."

kentonline 19th May 2010

Six million passengers for Kent airport

An international travel hub could be created at Kent International Airport at Manston. The 25-year vision from KIA bosses at the former Battle of Britain airfield includes a complex to rival Luton and Stanstead, with passenger intake increasing from 16,000 a year at today’s figures to six million in 2033.

It foresees a second passenger terminal, an extension to the A299 Thanet Way - providing a direct route into the airport for freight and passenger traffic, and a railway station to serve the airport, which aims to take passengers from London St Pancras to Manston in 80 minutes. Two spots have been earmarked for the parkway station - at Cliffsend and the Lord of the Manor roundabout, which is the favoured spot.

Passenger flights will return to Manston. Likely destinations are Faro, Malaga and Palma, as well as domestic services to Manchester, Glasgow, Dublin and Edinburgh. Another option is to bring in a budget airline to Manston and bosses say they have made "significant progress" in this area. Matt Clarke, KIA chief executive, said:

"The growth in the airport here will come as the other airports in the south east near their capacity. They’ll become less easy to use, and certainly the convenient, regional airports (like Manston) have the opportunity to soak up some of that extra growth as the demand for air travel increases. It will be such an improvement for the Thanet area, particlularly because the airport has the potential for huge, wide-scale growth and employment opportunities. The 2033 estimates suggest there’ll be 7,500 jobs created as a result of the aiport - 1,200 of them will be directly employed at Manston.

The commencement of the high speed domestic rail services between Ramsgate and London in 2009 will dramatically reduce travel times making the airport even more attractive to passengers and aircraft operators. The proposed expansion is supported by national, regional and local planning and economic development policy, and with the extensive facilities currently in place, the infrastructure required to support the projected growth can be accommodated on land currently owned by the airport. We already have the beginnings of a well-developed airport. Aircraft handling facilities exceed those found at many successful regional airports and we already host daily 747 aircraft movements during our peak season. KIA is substantial asset which will benefit the whole county and provide much-needed runway capacity for the south east."

The airport is also expected to see an increase in the level of freight it handles, rising from 33,000 tonnes at the moment to 100,000 tonnes by 2010, 150,000 tonnes by 2012, and more than 500,000 tonnes in 2033.

Following the announcement, Thanet North MP Roger Gale said he believes that London mayor Boris Johnson should "look very seriously at the potential of Manston as the site of a major regional airport". Mr Gale said:

"Manston is a service that could be swiftly developed and is waiting to happen. The pressure on Heathrow and Gatwick could be relieved very successfully if a serious effort was put behind the plans unveiled by Kent International Airport."

Mr Gale has campaigned for 20 years for the airport to be serviced by proper infrastructure and he praised the vision of a high-speed rail link to Manston. He said:

"The ideas suggested by Matt Clarke and the team at KIA are exciting for the whole of the region and Thanet in particular. However, this is only possible with the development of a parkway station, which would be a ‘halt’. It would need a large car park, two covered platforms and a swift link direct to the terminal."

kentonline 8th Oct 2008